Jewel Crowe Rd in Sylvester Georgia is a mere 7.3 miles long. Tucked off the road, just out of sight, is a treasure. You may not see it, but we do.

This house was built in the late 1800s, and has been vacant for nearly 70 years, since the 1940s.

It doesn’t look like much, but hiding just beneath this weathered exterior is some of the finest wood Mother Nature has ever created, long leaf pine, also known as heart pine. Saw through a board and you’ll see what I mean. A disguised American treasure.

Soon this house will be deconstructed, and the centuries-old wood will be transformed into Outlaw Drums. Each stave snare drum is unique, because the characteristics of the wood are preserved within the instrument. Original nail holes and saw kerfs remain visible on some drums, while on others, the 19th century nails have survived, still set in the wood. Whenever possible, we leave these artifacts on the drum, to honor its history.

Our story begins in 1860s Georgia. Young Charles Edward Wilder joined the renowned Georgia 17th Infantry Regiment, fighting as a Private for the Confederacy in the US Civil War. The 17th Regiment was famous for fighting in many of the Civil War’s most important battles, including the Seven Days’ Battle, the Battle of Second Manassas, and the Battle of Gettysburg.

After the war, Charles received a 10 acre plot of land, along with two mules, outside of Albany Georgia, as payment for his service. The land was covered with virgin long leaf pine trees that had sprouted and then been allowed to grow untouched on the property for more than 200 years. These trees served as timber for the house Wilder built in the early 1880s, and for over a century, this house was called a home.